Congratulations! 

Please contact the parish office as soon as you are engaged.  Six months is usually required for marriage preparation.  Pre-Cana session and FOCCUS (Facilitating Open Couple Communication and Study) are required for St. Patrick engaged couples.  The first step is to speak with a priest or deacon to complete an initial interview. This should be done prior to setting a date. Contact the Parish Office at 530.622.0373 to arrange for an appointment. 
 

The bridegroom and bride are to share with the priest, deacon or pastoral minister any of the following circumstances: 

• If one or both are under the age of twenty (20);
• If there is a pregnancy involved;
• If they are presently cohabiting (living together);
• If one of the engaged is not Catholic;
• If one or both have been married before in any type of 
• ceremony or common law union;
• If they are now civilly married and wish to have their marriage convalidated in the Catholic Church.

It is a canonical requirement (“canonical form”) that a Catholic be married before a properly delegated priest or deacon and two witnesses. A Catholic who marries outside the church without a dispensation from the canonical form does so invalidly, i.e., the Church does not recognize the marriage. Some circumstances require special steps to assist the couple in preparing for marriage in the Church. If any of these special circumstances exist, it does not necessarily mean that one cannot be married in the Church.  However, it does mean that an honest discussion of these circumstances should take place between the couple and the marriage preparation facilitator.